Tag: addiction

After watching-reading the news of “celebrities” that have died recently that I looked up to growing-up, I pondered this question-“Can celebrities have success?” Success can be defined in many ways, but I’m referring to success as battling our “life challenges”. My first “spotlight” is Carrie Fisher…

Carrie Fisher seem to successfully beat her “bi-polar” mental illness by completing treatment in the mental hospital. She still had challenges, but she overcame (eg. drugs) them successfully though her one-act Broadway show (“Wishful Drinking”), wrote a book (The Princess Diarist ) , etc… she was gifted with words!

Inside Carrie Fisher’s Difficult Upbringing with Famous Parents by Julie Miller December 27, 2016 9:15 pm vanityfair.com
Her father, Eddie Fisher, left her mother, Debbie Reynolds, for Elizabeth Taylor—and that was only the beginning.“..And in a 2009 interview, Fisher told Vanity Fair how sharing her stories—which had an atypical, wry perspective on Hollywood’s usual trappings: stars, addictions, and broken marriages—played a large role in her mental health…”

In a 1990 interview with CNN’s Larry King, Carrie Fisher opens up about being the daughter of Hollywood royalty, her battles with addiction and life as an author after “Star Wars.”..”“Talking with someone in interviews is therapy”-Carrie F. (paraphrase)
*see Movie: Star Wars Series Reflections goodnewseverybodycom.wordpress.com

Carrie Fisher: I didn’t want to be famous (2009) cnn.com“..In a 2009 interview with CNN’s Campbell Brown, Carrie Fisher says she did not want to go into show business because she saw what happened to parents Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher.
Source: CNN.”“It scared me..a celebrity..your not going to stay in a fantastic time..it’s going all away…all these people are going to love you..it’s attention”-Carrie FisherCarrie Fisher on Charlie Rose, 2009

When Carrie Fisher was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her 20s, she didn’t believe the doctor. At the time, Carrie jokes, she thought that people who had bipolar disorder were “nuts” rather than seeing it as something that could happen to anybody. For more on #oprahwinfreyshow, visit http://bit.ly/1ODj0x7

Star Wars’ Princess Carrie Fisher’s Religion worldreligionnews.com“.. Carrie Frances Fisher, the American actress, producer, writer, and humorist better known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars movie series died Tuesday at age 60. Fisher was born to actress Debbie Reynolds (a Nazarene) and singer Eddie Fisher (a Jew). She was born in Beverly Hills, California. Fisher’s paternal grandparents were Jewish Russian immigrants. Fisher was raised a Protestant. However, her father’s religion influenced her so much that she later started identifying as Jewish. According to Fisher, it was her father singing in the synagogue that impacted her spirituality. In an interview given to JWeekly, a San Francisco-based Jewish newspaper, Fisher said that she and her daughter often used to attend Jewish services and take part in Shabbat meals. Lighting candles have a certain loveliness to it, so have saying thanks to a lovely week. She expressed Judaism by singing the song Hearts and Bones, that has lyrics expressing the freedom of Jews, a song that was written by her ex-husband Paul Simon.

…Fisher blasted the UK cinemas for preventing to show a 60-second advert that featured the Lord’s Prayer before showing Star Wars: The Force Awakens in which she reprises her role as Princess Leia…” Pastor Todd Fisher: My Mom, Debbie Reynolds, Wanted To Be With Carrie Fisher 11:30AM EST 12/29/2016 Jessilyn Justice charismanews.com“…Todd became a charismatic church leader shortly after Carrie’s catapult to fame with the Star Wars franchise. He started his own church in his mother’s studio in the ’80s, but the congregation rapidly outgrew the space.

“We preach the truth, and if that means poking fun at some of the traditions—well, hey, that’s just part of it. Jesus spent his career exposing the Pharisees and Sadducees because they weren’t worshipping God, they were worshipping traditions. Those people are still with us today,” he told People in 1984.

Todd appears to be the most outspoken about his faith in the family trio.

Carrie described her faith: “I love the idea of God, but it’s not stylistically in keeping with the way I function. I would describe myself as an enthusiastic agnostic who would be happy to be shown that there is a God.”

Please pray for the Reynolds-Fisher family during this heartbreaking time. ..”Debbie Reynolds’ Son, Pastor Todd Fisher, Says Mom Wanted to Be With Daughter, Carrie By Anugrah Kumar , Christian Post Contributor Jan 1, 2017 | 11:27 AM christianpost.com‘..She went to be with Carrie. In fact, those were the last words that she spoke this morning,” Todd, co-founder of Hiding Place Church in California, told E! News. “More specifically, she said that she really, she was under a lot of stress.”

Todd added, “She held it together beautifully, obviously, for the last couple of days but she was under a lot of emotion and stress from the loss [of Carrie] and it’s pretty much what triggered this event.”

Reynolds didn’t get to see her daughter “as Carrie was on her way back from England and none of us really got to see her other than in the hospital,” Pastor Fish..

Her son, Todd, became a Christian in 1980, and was later ordained as a minister. He founded Hiding Place, along with musician Henry Cutrona of Christian country rock band Gentle Faith. A non-denominational, charismatic congregation, the church first met in North Hollywood at his mother’s DR Studios. After outgrowing that location, the church was moved to Beverly Theater in Beverly Hills. By 1986, the church had relocated to Emerson Middle School in Westwood, Los Angeles, with an average Sunday attendance of 1,000…”

ASIA

Philippines

The Killing Time: Inside Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s War on Drugs Rishi Iyengar / Manila @Iyengarish Aug. 25, 2016 time.com“..The Philippines is hardly alone. Executing people for drug-related offenses, judicially or otherwise, is characteristic of the region. According to a report last year by drug policy NGO Harm Reduction International, the only countries other than Iran and Saudi Arabia known to have executed drug traffickers since 2010 are all Asian: China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia.

Thailand conducted its own war on drugs in 2003 under then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and the events then — more than 13,000 arrests, over 36,000 cases of people surrendering to police, and nearly 1,200 deaths in its first month — will feel eerily familiar to Filipinos.

Two decades earlier, a wave of extrajudicial executions took place in Indonesia under its autocratic leader Suharto. They came to be known as the petrus killings after the Indonesian acronym for penembak misterius (mysterious gunmen) and had as their supposed aim a reduction in crime. Thousands were murdered in the period between 1983 and 1985.

Now, it’s the Philippines’ turn, and Duterte’s war may turn out to be the most ferocious yet. “This fight against drugs will continue to the last day of my term,” he said.

That day is six years away…”

EUROPE

England

Boris Johnson and the ‘social cleansing’ of London’s estates Tuesday, 9 February 2016 8:26 AM politics.co.uk‘… On the current evidence, and despite all the rhetoric about the big society and co-operative councils, neither the mayor nor most council cabinet members are really willing to do that. But they should. On the few occasions where councils and housing associations have gone down this route, they’ve ended up building more new homes, at a fraction of the cost, and without the terrible social costs…”

SOUTH AMERICA

Brazil

A New Olympic Sport: City Cleansing rioonwatch.org“..All over the city there are projects which emphasize cleanliness, from the athlete’s village called “Pure Island” to developments in the Port Zone (part of the “Marvelous Port” Olympic legacy project) which seem to be trying to erase the history of slavery in the region. Real estate developers like Carlos Carvalho want to build entire areas solely for the noble elite, while the City’s strategy in Vila Autódromo has been to hide the favela in newly built housing. Private security guards have even been shipping the homeless out of touristic parts of the city to shelters up to 80 kilometers away. In February, the State Public Defenders joined 25 other organizations in writing a letter to the United Nations to denounce the “irregular apprehension” of minors in the street as a form of “preparatory ‘hygienization’ for the Olympics,” according to R7…”

Social cleansing killings have a long, bloody history in Colombia’s major cities. For the most part they remain unsolved, yet to human rights monito…”

To begin with Los Calvos only attacked rapists, but as time passed their targets expanded to include delinquents, as well as drug dealers and addicts. They had their revenge, and they developed a taste for vigilantism. It has been reported that they are still active today, targeting the district’s crack-addicts….

Any other places you know of this “social cleansing” going on? What can “we” do about it?

The History of Opium and The History of How the Pharmaceutical Industry Intentionally Created Drug Addictions
Written by Sarah C. Corriher Category: Reports Published: November 25, 2009 healthwyze.org“..However, opium addictions only began in the eighteenth century, when the British began to monopolize the sale of opium. It is no coincidence that when the British, with their chemical industry, began selling opium that these chemically altered opiums began creating addictions. Completely natural, unadulterated plants are not addictive until they have been “refined” and concentrated. As a result of what the British did, opium eventually became illegal under Chinese law, but the sale from the British continued.

In 1839, the Emperor, Tao Kwang, ordered his minister Lin Tse-hsu to deal with the opium problem. Lin requested help from Queen Victoria, but was ignored. As a result, the Emperor confiscated 20,000 barrels of opium and detained some foreign traders, many of whom were British. The Chinese believed that because their ceramics and silk technologies were superior to their British counterparts that their naval ships would also be. They were wrong. The British retaliated to this interference with their drug (“medical”) trade by attacking the port-city of Canton.

This was the beginning of what would become known as the ‘First Opium War’. It was launched by the biggest, richest drug cartel that the world has ever known; the British Empire. When the Chinese were defeated, they had no choice but to sign the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842. They were required to allow the trade of opium, to make large payments to the British, and even to open five new ports to the foreign drug (“medical”) trade. They were also forced to give Hong Kong to Britain. Opium was, technically, still an illegal substance in China, but the Chinese were forced to accept British imports
..”

►The Drug War was originally used to to go after and invalidate the ones who generally pose the biggest threat to exposing the corruption and ulterior motives within our leaders and politics of this country—hippies, anti-war protesters, and blacks. ►This was continued in 1986 with the crack epidemic. ►It persists today with Meth and Heroin(opiates)as the main scapegoats.
► http://www.leap.cc —–Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
►In 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to end the drug war within its borders, and in the short time since, the country has seen a radical improvement in society. Drugs now have fewer negative effects in Portugal than they did prior to decriminalization. There are now fewer drug-related deaths, fewer children getting ahold of drugs, and fewer people doing drugs in general.
►The drug war is one of the most misunderstood subjects in mainstream political dialogue, even among people who are sympathetic to the plight of responsible drug users. It is rare for someone to come out and say that all drugs should be legal, but this is the only logically consistent stance on the issue. To say that some drugs should be legal while others should not is still giving credence to the punishment paradigm and overlooking the external consequences of drug prohibition — or prohibition of any object, for that matter.
►What regulating AND controlling ALL illicit drugs would cause…….(this is based merely on the facts and known statistics from what drug laws have resulted in since they were enacted; Also based on the Real World Results of Portugal’s decriminalisation of all illicit drugs in July 2001 to present day, and is only getting more and more of these positive results, as more time passes
1) Reduce violent crime
(2) Improve seller accountability and drug safety
(3) Reduce drug availability to children
(4) Reduce nonviolent prisoner population
(5) Real crime can be dealt with
(6) Encourage genuine treatment for addicts
(7) Prevent drug overdoses
(8) Protect individual rights
► Sources
Police Captain Demolishes the War on Drugs:

►CONFIRMED: The DEA Struck Deals With and Protected Mexico’s Most Notorious Drug Cartel, the Sinaloa’s, & allowed them to bring Tons of drugs into the U.S., Guaranteed not to be arrested or aggressed upon from 2000 – 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAPFv&#8230;

I was watching a t.v. show (NBC Nightline??->David Letterman and Tom Brokaw, June 17, 2016) the other night at my parent’s house, which former night show host David Letterman was getting interviewed. He shared a story where he was on a boat ride with his “idol”/mentor Johnny Carson along the Hudson River in New York City. He shared (paraphrased) “we all have our own personal demons”…

I then reflected on all the interviews/stories of others that had shared this personal life challenge..

-Drugs

Angels and Demons: The Josh Hamilton Saga
May 4, 2015 11:46 am hornet.fullcoll.edu/“…The incident began to unfold in February, when Hamilton met with MLB officials and admitted to having relapsed and subsequently checked himself into a rehab facility. According to CBS Sports’ John Heyman, Hamilton’s relapse involved both cocaine and alcohol…”Josh Hamilton’s Fight with the Devil Terri Simmons CBN.com FALL FROM GLORY“..Josh believed that the lesson he learned through his dream was obvious, “Alone, I couldn’t win this battle. With Jesus, I couldn’t lose.”

James 4:7 became the Bible verse Josh would memorize and stand on, “Humble yourself before God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

“I read that over and over, committing it to memory. I vowed to change, to make every move from here on a positive one. I battled vicious physical cravings – the devil came at me hard – and as soon as I felt one coming on I would repeat the verse,” he said.

I decided to write to this blog on this particular topic after many talks with transvestites. I was always curious how one became one and found some similar backgrounds. I met an individual that told me he lived with a single mom. Her mother wished she had a daughter and never got one, so she would dressed him as a girl all the time. This repeated occurrence just gave him that identity desire to be a girl. There are other stories, but will tell them later as time comes, so stay tune…

Transformed

Transsexual Returns to Original Gender After Relationship With Christ By Jeff Schapiro, Christian Post Reporter
January 11, 2012|4:43 pm“….When he was only about five years old, Heyer’s grandmother began to dress him as if he were a girl and even made a dress just for him. The result was a very confused little boy. “I look at it today as being pretty abusive. While it seemed very benign at the time, and maybe even playful, I can see today…that it was really abusive to my psyche,” he told The Christian Post on Wednesday….

…Heyer’s uncle viewed the situation with his grandmother as a joke, and sexually molested him when he was still young.

..By his early teenage years, the fantasy had only grown. He adopted the female name Andrea West, and began cross dressing. At age 15, he also began learning about Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) and, although he struggled against his desire to be female, he says those feelings were like a radio playing in his head that he just couldn’t turn off….

“While I didn’t want to be going down this pathway I seemed to be on this track that I couldn’t interrupt, stop or change,” he recalled. “But I wasn’t homosexual. I was having dates with girls, I never felt any desire to have relationships with men, so from the standpoint of my sexuality I was always heterosexual.”

“That I think, too, is one of the…misleading factors. Most people consider transgenders to be homosexual and, from my experience…98 to 99 percent of the people who contact me are not homosexual…It’s really a gender identity issue, not a sexual preference issue.”…

..He and his wife split after 17 years of marriage, and he lost his job when he began making the physical transformation into becoming a woman. He got breast implants, began taking hormones, had electrolysis to reduce the hair on his face, and he had his genitals removed.
….

“You’re not born transgender, something happens in your childhood that causes you to not want to be who you are…And today the only thing that is…socially acceptable is calling yourself a transgender,” he said.

Not all his church experiences were bad, however. He found a church that welcomed him in, even with the knowledge of what his struggle was. The pastor of that church told him, “Our job is to love you and it’s God’s job to transform you.”

“The church, what it did for me was it allowed me to really get to the point where I asked the Lord for forgiveness. I began to pray for forgiveness. And I realized that the critical point is understanding that you can accept Jesus Christ, but there’s a point where that doesn’t become real…until you’re walking with Christ,” he said….

God loves everyone and sees every sin equal. God does not hate people. He loves us! What you see the bad stuff in the media is not God. God loves us all and yes! He disapproves of having relationships between two mans and between two woman. But it does not mean he does not love you or understands your difficulties! He offers his salvation to all and will guide you!

This movie is for educational purposes and testimony, I have not made this video. All credit goes to God for helping us and letting us give testimonies of his Glory, love and power.”

A transformed transsexual from the-new-way.org“…“My appearance became increasingly feminine as the months passed. Silicone injections added to my feminine good looks. But I was miserable inside.”

My story begins in a small Louisiana town on August 15, 1936, when I was born. My father was a river boat pilot and drank a lot. I was always afraid of him, as he would come home late at night, yelling and breaking things. I began to build a fantasy world all my own. I would dream about all the beautiful women in the movies Mother took me to see on weekends. I wanted to be a girl, but I was a boy.

Mother always worked. I used to go to her room when she was away and put on her dresses, earrings, lipstick and perfume. One day she came home early and caught me. “Don’t ever let me catch you doing this again!” she yelled. She whipped me, screaming, “You’re a boy, you’re a boy!” She ripped the earrings off and threw them on the dressing table. I ran from the house crying.

I was afraid to play with boys. They called me “sissy” and “Momma’s boy”. School was the worst time of all. The other boys didn’t want me around and called me ugly names. There were a few girls I could play with, but more and more, I played by myself, with my movie idols…

.. I decided that a sex-change operation was the answer to my feelings of dissatisfaction and phoned a plastic surgeon in New York. We set an appointment for the first stage of surgery —castration. I’ll never forget the antiseptic smell of the operating room. The surgery was done with local anesthetic, but even the drugs injected with 6-inch needles couldn’t kill the dreadful pain of the operation. It was the most dreadful experience of my life…

“Perry, I’m saved. I’ve got Jesus in my heart. I feel wonderful!” He witnessed to me every chance he got for the next year. Finally I agreed to go to church with him. Everything was strange to me, but I felt something I had never experienced in my life. These people really loved each other. I could feel it. .

I’m curious why “you” came to this particular blog. Please feel free to personally contact me or share below. Do you struggle with any sexual-gender identity? What’s your story? Can you related to any of the stories above?

I watched the anticipating movie “Unbroken” the other day (CHRISTmas) with my parents (my grandfather was captured as a POW as a “Filipino” civilian and survived as a cook) and still absorbing the personal messages from this inspirational movie in this season in my life. I was first introduced to this real-life story (Laura Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken”) by Neil, pastor of Harvest Community Church (Fargo, ND) and host to a weekly morning Bible study-fellowship group I attend in Morris, who gave me to read and share with one of my friends (college student from Japan renter) years ago. Unfortunately, my renter wasn’t interested in reading this book, but was inspired by the story. I got more interested in this story when Neil shared about this book was going to be movie on facebook. I’ve been looking forward to this movie since this Spring and now anxious to share about it with others.

Zamperini’s life story has taught me many life virtues (e.g. perseverance, gratefulness, commitment, and forgiveness) in this point of my life, which I’ll try to share as many of them down below. One of them is perseverance, which the stories…

Unbroken Raft Scenes Louis Zamperini WW2 – YouTube

*After watching the sequel this evening (10.4.18), I reflect on this scene and God did answer Zamperini’s prayer through the Japanese boat that “rescued” Zamperini & his comrades from the raft.

Unbroken (9/10) Movie CLIP – Don’t Look at Me! (2014) HD

… he shared of what he endured during WWII is very inspirational. I’ve read many stories from that war, which has helped me to not complain and be more grateful no matter what challenges I’m facing in my life. The sacrifices many soldiers faced (including my own parents’ country-Philippines-> Filipino Military–Bataan Uncensored Paperback – December, 1991, a must read book!) during that war helped my generation to reap the blessings we have right now. It’s important to never forgot our own history (U.S., Philippines, and any other nation), so we won’t take for granted what we are blessed with.

“If you get me through this I swear I’ll dedicate my whole life to you. Please”-Louis Zamperini (from briandoddonleadership.com)

I made a similar promise to God (Heavenly Father) before giving my life to Him back in the winter of 1996. I went skiing at a ski resort (Andes Tower Hills in Kensington, Minnesota). I went down hill skiing with a bunch of college friends (international students) and wanted to show off, so I just jumped on this chair life not knowing how far and big the hill I would be down hill skiing at. Well, when I got to the top, I realize this was higher than I thought and already forgot how to ski. I haven’t gone down hill skiing for years (should’ve gone on the smaller hill or bunny hill to get some practice). Well, this would be called, “Pride before the fall”. There was no way down but to go with my skis, so I had to fall 4x or so to finally decided to walk (after feeling my knee really swollen or hurt). I went to the ER at the local hospital (Morris, MN) and was at the X-Ray room. The doctor took an X-Ray and left the room by myself. This was when I had my “first” BIG encounter with God. I was more concerned about the financial cost of the medical expense than what happened to me physically. I then just called out to God and told Him-“God, if your real. Heal me and I”ll follow You”. Well, the doctor came back and told me that I didn’t break anything, which would be the beginning of my journey of faith (see testimony) Ever made a promise (e.g. Matthew 5:37-“Let your yes, be “YES”) with God, family, friends, etc…? I challenge and encourage you to “follow-through”!

I read and heard many stories of the atrocities in World War II and many wars before and after. Even though this movie just showed one perspective of one American’s experience. The torture that he and many others out there is very “inhumane”. Unfortunately, we as a county didn’t learn from this and still use this to this day (e.g. Shocking cases in CIA report reveal an American torture program in disarray – Spencer Ackerman in New York Tuesday 9 December 2014 ) This is an embarrassment as a nation to this world as we “preached” against inhumanitarian acts of other nations (e.g. North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, etc..).

In my response to what our nation has done and even myself (I too have “wrong” people in different ways and levels due to sin)…”forgive them for they do not know what they do”. Zamperini’s story can be applied with what’s going on today (e.g. Ferguson-we need to forgive each other for the wrong that’s been done to one another). There are “good” and “bad” cops-same with any group of people. We can’t “judge” or “stereotype” (e.g. NOT all Somolians are “evil” as the movie “Black Hawk Down” might stereotype these people group) any group because of the actions of a “few” of a group of people (e.g. race, nationality, political party, religion, institution, etc..) The real “enemy” is satan and his cronies (demons) that try to deceive and divide the human race to “fight” one another. It’s God’s love that is shared in the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ behind the message of Zamerini’sforgiveness!

Is there someone out there that has hurt (e.g. abuse) you in the past? Just as Zamperini had one-the “Bird”-was a “bully” or “tormentor” while he was Prisoner of War. When Zamperini went home after the war, he was like many veterans that would suffer from PTSD. He would have nightmares, which I too had them at times growing-up for different reasons. Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Well, Zamperini started to sleep better after his “encounter” with God at a Billy Graham Crusade and forgave his “enemy” (abuser, bully, etc..). Have you forgave that individual(s) that hurt you in the past? It’s not easy, right? You can’t do it on your own because you need that strength from God alone, which I personally (e.g. my own bully story) got when I gave my life to Him.

Billy Graham Australia & New Zealand
Published on Jan 22, 2015
After his return from WWII, Louis Zamperini was tormented by the memories of what he had experienced. Post traumatic stress led to depression and alcoholism. About to lose his marriage, Louis went to a Billy Graham crusade in Los Angeles, in 1948 and gave his life to Christ.

Part 2-Sequel

UNBROKEN 2 Official Trailer (2018) Path to Redemption, Movie HD …

-Addiction

Improving our understanding of alcohol and drug addiction hazelden.org“..What counts is embracing that moment of clarity when we realize that our lives are a mess and that we must change. Or else. And then taking action. Zamperini changed his life, and in the next 60-plus years, his story has inspired millions of people to overcome the adversity of their personal demons.

A few days after he died, another story made headlines, this one in The New York Times. It was about alternatives to the “mainstream” approach to fighting addiction through 12-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

From new medications to advances in science to innovative therapy, the choices people struggling with substances have are more plentiful than ever today, including pathways that aren’t based on abstinence or faith in a higher power…”

SWITCHFOOT – You Found Me – Unbroken: Path To Redemption (Official Music Video)

“..On the second night, Graham asked people to step forward to declare their faith. Louie stood up and stormed toward the exit. But at the aisle, he stopped short.

Suddenly he was in a flashback, adrift on the raft. It hadn’t rained in days, and he was dying of thirst. In anguish, he whispered a prayer:

“If you will save me, I will serve you forever.”

… Over the raft, rain began falling. Standing in Graham’s tent, lost in his flashback, Louie felt the rain on his face.

At that moment Louie began to see his whole ordeal differently. When he’d been trapped in the wreckage of his plane, somehow he’d been freed. When the Japanese bomber had shot the raft full of holes, somehow none of the men had been hit….”

If you have read this book or watched the movie, curious-what was your famous line/quote/scene in the movie? why? what did you learn? How are you applying it in your life to this day?

“Movie theater in Oakdale, Minnesota where I saw the movie “Unbroken” with parents on CHRISTmas Day“

Book

Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken – Audiobook Excerpt

Unbroken A World War II Story of Survival Resilience and Redemption Audiobook 1

Zamperini’s response to the guard’s question intrigues me, for there was nothing in his early history to suggest any church involvement. The way he had discovered he could run when he was a boy was by running from people he had stolen from, and from the law, for he was an inveterate thief. His criminal ways ended when he embarked on his running career in high school, but not because of any new moral insight—he just found a different route to satisfying his desires. So when the guard asked him, “You Christian?,” his yes answer probably had a lot more to do with culture than with spiritual reality….”

General Harris (escaped Corregidor occupation, captured in Indonesia by “natives’, etc..)
7:08 -Zamperini was found out to be an olympic runner (movie scene: forced to race)
7:10-green sauce injection (Mensaus was intended to be killed)
*see Biological https://www.facebook.com/groups/392960060797791/
-Garret (new P.O.W.) shares how he was in the same cell that Zamperini was at (17 others killed in that same island)
7:17 (sin suji-POW camp with American Red Cross regulations)
*fake, but a coal camp
7:21 (Chapter 21)
July 13th-Louis captured (same day mother sent a letter to Air Force commander to search for Louis)
7:32: Fortune teller tells Harris survived
*see https://www.facebook.com/SalPhotoVideography/photos/a.780611395287068.1073741907.443035202378024/930969090251297/?type=3&theater
7:43 “Kill all” (POW’s-5K Koreans) command-afraid Koreans would ally with Americans after Saipan lost (allowing bombers to bomb Japan)
7:51 “Doolittle raid” (escape plan cancelled due to warning of POW’s going to be executed for every escapee)
7:54 “Quack” found maps Harris hided in bed
was beaten for over an hour
Chapter 23 “Monster” (Bird)
7:57 Zamperini moved to a new camp
Chapter 24
8:16 “Bird”
8:33 Kano (compassionate Japanese guard…would tell guards to look away when POW’s were eating from the garden)
radio broadcast was only heard in South Africa (took 3 months to finally get to California due to misunderstanding of name and address)
8:37 (Chapter 25-B24)
8:48 Postman Calls (Louis alive)
B29 flying to taking pics (hope)
9:03 (Chapter 26)
Radio station changed broadcast …propoganda
(kept alive for propoganda -to embarrass America…serviced “American-style”-tempting-meal at a diner..movie scene)
Nov 27th-B29 Bombers came in bunches
9:29 “Bird” leaving (movie scene)…reign of terror over
Chapter #27-“Falling Down”

“KILL ALL” P.O.W.’s in Palawaan, Philippines…gasoline poured on soldiers in grave “massacre”….11 only escaped. 😦
American landing as false
CAMP NAOETSUhttp://www.northchinamarines.com/id35.html
9:38 “moved to another camp” due to bombing in Tokyo…witness bombed city as they transferred on a rail train to a snowy place
March 2nd 1945
“Bird” waiting for him
9:50
forced to clean pig place after being a “cleanliness” freak (used listerine after kissing girls)
10:06 (Chapter 29-200 punches)
U.S. Bomb raid by lone steel mill
Germany fell
naritsu
Louis leg healed to do coal work
Bird sick (fed bm)
10:24 moved to another camp to be “executed” (final order)
10:29 Louis holding beam in 37 minutes (movie scene)
826 B29’s raid
napalm being dropped
leaflets dropped to warn citizens to leave from the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
10:38 “Hiroshima bomb dropped (10x the light of the sun) “little boy” (tibbits) lead taste from his mouth melting from radiation emitting
Chapter #31
Hiroshima was hit by “chlorea”
one bomb hit the city (atomic-unfamiliar)
Aug. 9th 1945-Nagasaki hit by atomic bomb
“The Bird” left to prepare new camp after Louis had nightmares of him
Louis 22 bm’s
berry berry
teaching English to “bad eye” (How are you?.what the F*&% you care?)
no electricity
10:40 WAR is over
routine of walking to forrest
Aug 20th-white sky
10:52 asked POW’s to fight the “red” that took some island
announcement to bathe in river (movie scene)..engine came by (overcast sky)..torpedo bomber (American). Red code “war is over”
chocolate and cigs dropped off
pants (thought it was a man) fell from another plane (bomb cloud pic-Hiroshima-magazine) and more items dropped
Chapter #32-Cascade of Paint Peaches
10:57
wrote 700 POW’s here on sand to get planes to drop more products
11:07 U.S. Missouri-General MacArthur announced
132K POW’s (off all nations)
25% survived
37% americans died
1% of americans held by Nazi’s die

Cocoa dropped crashed and destroyed “Bird’s” office
Louis cleansed himself
Sept. 4th-date for POW’s to be transferred to Yokohama for evacuation
POW’s discovered a brothel while walking around
Fitzgerald (fingernails pulled, waterboard torture, etc..) asked for a train
Chapter 33 11:17
POW’s getting food and medical help
wasn’t listed in Red Cross list since he wasn’t listed by Japanese
143 lbs (still 17 lbs under his original weight when plane crashed)
Sylvia answered on phone (Mom)
sept. 9th 1945-mother’s day for Louis’ mom
American flag carried through entire wall (passed by American missionary to British POW in Australia??)

Unbroken Laura Hillenbrand (A World War II Story) Part 2

Meeting family and getting greeted

Part IV
Chapter 34 “Shimmering Girl”
convertible still there
3 years of CHRISTmas gifts in house
record playing of his recording (PTSD)
meeting fiance (apple)
30:52 -Chapter 35

Nightmares, story of Airforce airmen that parachuted and captured: put in a zoo cage for display
Louis drinking, public behavior,etc…
Chapter #36 50:00
4K of 5K convicted of war crimes
Kano (close to names of Japanese war criminals) was testified by soldiers (US) to be cleared
was about to write to POW soldiers..died of cancer
1:13:00 -Louis still drunk, fought with Cynthia, forbade Cynthia from going to church, thought God tried to trip him, etc..
*Good News Japan https://www.facebook.com/groups/468929606499068/
*more…http://smu.gs/1Bl61Ih

1:51 “This is your life” (Allen slipped in back, w/ CeCe, moved from New Mexico-plastic business) What he done was finally recognized…became an “open book” as Louis wasn’t mentioned.
1:54
Harris in Korean War (3/4 of his until died)
2:00 deaths of his brother (Pete, Sylvia-mother, etc..)
Bird died in 2003…never met
*peace…https://www.facebook.com/groups/639527079395556/?ref=br_tf

-Reviews

http://www.us-japandialogueonpows.org/UshioUnbroken.htm
but there are also many stories of kind, generous, compassionate Japanese, both military and civilian, who went out of their way to be good to POWs. So my readers’ reactions, whether positive or negative, are directed not toward the Japanese people as a group, but toward the specific individuals in the book.

I think the biggest reason why the book has not inspired ill-feeling against Japan is that Japanese war crimes are not the book’s theme or main subject. This is a story of survival, resilience and persistence, and the extraordinary power of forgiveness, as exemplified by one man, Mr. Zamperini. The emotion my readers express, more than anything else, is a sense of being uplifted and deeply inspired.

— When a book about Japan’s WWII history, especially one dealing with its war crimes, became a bestseller in the US, the first reaction from some Japanese people often is to question the accuracy of the content. Many reviewers in the US praised your thorough research. Can you describe how you went about researching for this book?
*Japan WWII https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.654965537895473&type=1

Do you ever encounter “homeless” people begging you for money whenever you walk the streets of a city or even driving around a neighborhood? What do you do? Do we walk pass them to ignore them? What would Jesus do?

Story 1

I admit, I have many times ignored these individuals because I was in a hurry or just had bad “judgment” on them. Well, last weekend I decided to “do something” . I was walking from

…to the Minneapolis Convention Center on a Sunday morning (July 13th 2014). I was there for the All-Star festivities (e.g. Fan Fest). As I was walking towards Nicollet Avenue, a guy came by walking besides me asking for money. I then told him I rather not give him money, but instead of food. He declined and asked for money to buy some food instead. Well, he was very persistent, which I kept being persistent. I then “tried” to quote a Bible verse “Silver or gold I don’t have, but I have Jesus” (paraphrased this because I forgot the exact order..lol).

Anyways, he just continued to walk with me to Nicollet Avenue as he shared his name (Isaac). I then smiled and replied, “that’s a name in the Bible”. He then said, “I know, I’m already born-again and saved” (I questioned myself in thought, “what is he doing here then?”). Anyways, I know we all go through some “wildernesses”, so I wanted to help this guy out to build his faith too. I asked him about his background, which he told me he already has a job. However, it’s only with a temp agency. I’ve had jobs with temp agencies before, so I somewhat can relate. I asked him what he’s good at , but he was persistent about the money thing again. Along the walk, I noticed a street preacher (lady) reading Bible verses, which is the same corner where I’ve seen others before. I thought to my self that this is so ironic! I then told him to come to Morris where there are many jobs available. He said, he might do this in the future. I then asked about his family, which he told me he has siblings in Indiana. I asked what made him move here from there. He replied, the “jobs opportunities”.

We then sat down in a bench where there were other “homeless” people around the area getting ready for the “big day” to beg for money. I told him I would love to pray for him about his current circumstances, which he obliged. I was chatting too much as I was holding his hand about to pray that he told me, “I thought we were going to pray together”. I stopped talking and started praying for him with a smile. He then persistently ask for money again, so I told him “no” and took him to the Walgreens around the corner. I told him he can get whatever he “needs”, so he shopped around and picked a deli sandwich and a snack (?). I even told him to get a drink as it’s supposed to get warm later on. He picked a drink and kindly double checked if he can get one. We then went to the counter and I bought his items As we left the store, I gave him more encouraging words (forgot what I said) as he joined his peers by the bench we were sitting before to pray.

I then continued my way to the Minneapolis Convention Center for Fan Fest 2014!

Story 2

I had to share this story because this was another unique individual homeless guy. I was walking to church (St. Paul Cathedral) with my parents last evening for mass (church service). I noticed this “homeless” guy fixing his bicycle that was upside down-along with his personal stuff on the side of the sidewalk besides the church entrance. I was about to ask if he needed help, but I just continued to walk past him and up the stairs to the entrance. I was inclined to turn around, but decided to do so after we got to our pew after the “procession” (priest and team walking from the back to the front and do an intro) in the church building. During this time, I thought of that “forward email story” about the church people passing by this homeless guy and no one did anything. The “church people” didn’t realize that homeless guy was actually their “new pastor” , which he would later share..that’s it-that was the “sermon message” itself..

Churchgoers Ignored the Pleas of A ‘Homeless’ Man. An Hour Later They Cried from Shame. TeamGodVine last update 07/09/2017, 11:06 PM godvine.com“…A Pastor transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000-member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service, only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food – no one in the church gave him change…
He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares, dirty looks, and people looking down on him. As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation. “We would like to introduce to you our new Pastor.” The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation. The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle. The clapping stopped with all eyes on him. He walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment then he recited,

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ ‘The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry, and many heads were bowed in shame. He then said, “Today I see a gathering of people, not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples. When will YOU decide to become disciples?” He then dismissed service until next week.

Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ should be more than just talk. It ought to be a lifestyle that others around you can love about you and share in.” Be a Christian all you want, but at least follow the teachings of Christ if you’re going to claim the title.

Matthew 25:35-45…”

Well, I felt the urge to to be used by God to reach out to this man in case no one else did by the “church building”. When I went down the stairs, I noticed this guy was ready to head out as his bicycle was in the upright position and all his belongings that was scattered was all packed up. I went over and asked if his bicycle was all fixed. He told me, yes and explained what was wrong (e.g. loose chain). He would not stop talking after that as he would end up sharing a lot about his situation after some “curiosity” question…

“Name is Patrick and originally from Des Moines-Iowa. I have been traveling all over the country. I plan to stay at a motel in Cottage Grove (Sal: “I told him that the bike trail from downtown to Cottage Grove is block due to construction”. I knew this before as I tried to ride my bike from where my parents live in the East Side to Downtown St. Paul). Would you be able to drive me? (Sal: “I told him that I would if I had a bigger vehicle and I explained to myself that I’m in the middle of “mass” with my parents). He then shared that he knows the people at the motel and then started sharing about his past-” I have to be careful of girls/ladies, I have to keep out of trouble (Sal: thinking that he was in trouble in the past and running away from it). I did drugs, like meth and other types of drugs… (Sal: He mention others, but can’t remember)…(Sal: He was non-stop in telling me some other stuff that I don’t remember what else he shared). He knew I just came from church, so he shared about Christians he has met (Sal: I noticed an African American guy just walking away after chatting with him and Patrick just put a Bible with his “stuff” packed in the back of his bicycle)…

..I started to grow in compassion for him with discernment (asking God what to do and say as I didn’t want to be lied too as I have been with past conversations with homeless people). I shared earlier how he has a cool name and I reminded him of “St. Patick”, which I wasn’t able to share more as he was “non-stop” in chatting /sharing with me. I noticed my time was long and my parents were probably wondering where I am. I didn’t want to leave without at least praying for him. I asked if I could pray for him, so I quickly did . I was closing my eyes, but opened to realize he started to kneel. I felt like I should’ve kneeled with him. I remembered one of the teaching at a church conference to pray with people in the “same level” as a sign of humility. I felt bad I didn’t as I wondered what people around me were thinking. After praying for him, I decided to give him some “change” (cash) to help him out . I then told him to stay away from those drugs with a smile :), which he told me he will and started to chat more. I showed him with my body movements that I had to leave, which I felt I could’ve stayed longer to hear more of his story. I had so many questions based on what he already shared. For example, what drew him to the streets? I felt like something bad he did and left/ran away from home because of shame. I forgot to pray about that, so let’s pray together…

“Heavenly Father, we lift Patrick up to you. We ask that You personally reveal your compassion to him and heal him of any past hurts. May you used another follower of Yours to share the “Good News” with him. We pray that the “seeds of faith” that others and I have shared will grow..in Jesus’ name..Amen”

Thanks for praying for me. I actually have been praying for him before writing this blog as there were other things I wished I could’ve done to “reach out” to him more. It seems like God has really touched my heart this past week about “reaching out to” homeless people with other related events (e.g. Prior to mass last night, I shared various videos of “reaching out” to homeless people after I won free tickets to this music event earlier last month that was given by this Christian non-profit organization called “Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities“..

I forgot to tell him about this homeless shelter with the few chance to share/talk as he was a “chatter box”. I was able to tell him about Minnesota Teen Challenge after he shared about his drug use and later “alcohol” use (shared that he’s been sober for 6 months). This was part of my prayer that God will protect him from temptation and the addiction.

Well, that was my personal story this unique encounter. When I returned back to mass, I came in the middle of the priest’s message (e.g. important to talk with God at least 10 minutes a day…) as I missed the 3 readings. My parents never asked where I went too as I was going to share until they asked me, but I probably should since I remembered my mom asking earlier today, “are you mad for some reason..?”. I didn’t correlate the two as I thought it was about something else.

The following day (today), I went to my local church in St. Paul. The pastor shared in his message about reaching to those homeless people with signs (see one of my related stories-> Folks with Signs Along the Highway Exit Ramps Part 1 ) along the highway exit ramps. I just feel this has been a theme that God is trying to show me and the “church body” to NOT forget about these people. What about you?

What do you think? Did I do the “right” thing? Is this what Jesus would’ve done? Did I share God’s love? What could’ve I done better?